Author's Note: Some of you might be wondering about how long I intend to make this story. I'm intending for at least fifteen chapters, maybe twenty. It depends on how much detail I put into each chapter and which ending – I have multiple ideas on how to end Apprentice – I decide to write because I have no intentions of writing alternate endings for this.
With that out in the open, I give you all chapter twelve of Apprentice.
Apprentice
Disclaimer: This is just for fun and to improve my writing skills. HELPFUL CRITICISM is appreciated, welcomed, and responded to. FLAMES will be ignored.
Chapter Twelve
Something felt off, had felt off for a few days now, but Jonathan couldn't place it. Scarecrow, on the other hand, could. Feels like the time your Child accidentally killed five of her peers. Jonathan frowned at that. Child won't deliberately kill anyone. We both know this. He could hear Scarecrow laugh inside his head at that and got the vague idea that, if Scarecrow had his own body, that his alter ego would be smirking at him. That was then, what about now? Even if it wasn't on purpose, it was still a first kill. Either way, your sixth sense or rather, your 'Child is in over her head' sense is going haywire. You're no good to her in Arkham.
Jonathan frowned and walked towards the indoor entertainment area, today, like the past few days, he didn't have a doctor willing enough to interrogate him, and as such, he was having a few…free days. The indoor entertainment area was rather simple for such a big building. Big enough to seat fifty people comfortably, three couches big enough for three people, five tables with two chairs per tables, a few chairs next to a magazine stand, and three flat screen televisions mounted on the walls just high enough to where one would need a ladder in order to tamper with it
As always, the other Rogue Gallery members – the ones that didn't have to be in a special confinement area at all times – were already in what was considered 'Rogue Gallery Member Only' area. However…they seemed to be acting a bit…odd. Something might have changed; he was expecting something or another to change, seeing as to how it was the first time he had seen then in the few days that Child hadn't shown up. It didn't sound like anything odd - Child's disappearance that is - seeing as to how he expected Child to lay low – or go into hiding – until Joker was back in Arkham – something that he had actually recommended to Child when he had extracted that promise from her.
"Why, is the television off?" He drawled out, looking at Riddler, and then at Harley. Those two were always watching TV, whether it was game shows, the news, or cartoons. Poison Ivy merely stood up and left the area going over towards the magazines and Jonathan blinked before he snapped his attention to Riddler and Harley. "Give me the remote control." The only reason that Ivy would have for leaving when he just got into the area, would be if there was something happening or if something rather dangerous would get drawn up and she didn't want to get drawn into it.
Riddler fingered the remote and watched him. "Jonathan, now you know I look out for your best interest whenever we're both in Arkham." Jonathan took a step towards him, his hand stretched out. "Nygma, I will not ask again." Harley bit her lip and looked at the two as Riddler took a step back. "Jonathan, I'm looking out for your best interest right now." Jonathan narrowed his eyes. "And how is this in my 'best interests'?" It was rather hard to keep calm when he knew that Child was in trouble and his temporary friends – they were friends with each other while in Arkham…well, most of them anyway – seemed intent on keeping him in the dark about something important.
"Eddy, just give it to him. Better he finds out from the TV then from someone else." Harley piped up at last. Some of them were different people when in Arkham, or at least acted different then they would in the outside world. "Harley! Do you have any idea what the news would do to him?" Riddler had turned his attention to Joker's sidekick and that was all that was need Scarecrow needed when Crane all but shoved the control into his hands.
"I'll take that." Snatching the remote out of Riddler's hands, Scarecrow turned the TV on and blinked as the news came on. Child is missing. Was Crane's thoughts as they watched the news. By Joker's hand. Scarecrow tossed back to his counterpart as the broadcast showed the general area of where Crane's Child was abducted from. It was easy to tell, seeing as to how there were a few lines of blood, evidence that Crane's Child did not go down without a fight.
A few days…Your child just can't stay out of trouble. "Professa?" Scarecrow looked at Harley and pointed a thumb at the screen. "How long, exactly, has she been missing?" Riddler shrugged and answered for the girl. "About three days, give or take." Well then, looks like Child really was in trouble. Still not sure she's in trouble, Johnny-boy? Scarecrow already knew Jonathan's answer, and he couldn't wait for the actually moment to arrive. We're getting out. Tonight. Tonight? Short notice, but it would have to work.
It wasn't like Scarecrow was complaining though; he was rather bored with nothing to do and with no new or old buttons to push. Do you want to break out, or should I? Jonathan had broken out on his own a few times, but Scarecrow was the one who broke out all the other times. However, he knew how personal this was for his other and that Johnny-boy would want to handle most, if not all, of this himself.
After all, Crane's Child was the only one who could ever make Jonathan even remotely human. It was the main reason why he didn't like the girl, but this version? The one that wasn't afraid to bare her fangs at anyone was someone that Scarecrow just might find himself tolerating in the long run. Especially if she continued to make noteworthy threats to him.
Perhaps she could even offer a few noteworthy ideas when they got her back. After all, if she was willing to bare her fangs at him of all people, then surely she wouldn't object to immersing herself into the life of crime if it was Crane that was asking. She was a wolf now if her attitude was anything to go by, and as such, cause fear should be something that was right up her alley, especially since she knew what it was like to live in fear, so perhaps she just might like causing the fear this time around.
I will. You cause too much commotion and that will give Joker a warning and that is something that we don't need to give him, not while he might have Child in his grasp. Scarecrow gave a soft snort as he took a seat on the couch. Riddler and Harley were keeping their distance from him right now, obviously sensing that he wasn't in the mood to talk with the\m over anything right now. After all, who could blame them when his other's protégé might be at the mercy of a mad clown?
"Harley, where would Joker go if he had a high profile hostage that knew how to fight back?" Jonathan drawled out as Scarecrow gave him back control. Riddler gave him a look as Harley sat down next to him. "Why? Just what does a doctor mean to you?" The girl wouldn't understand just what Child meant to him.
He had found her broken and chipped, and he had done what he could to mend the breaks. It was her years out of Gotham that had hardened the glue on her mends. No one lived forever, and Scarecrow had it right. She was his Child and had things gone the way they should have, she would have been well on her way to being groomed as his successor.
The life of a criminal was never predictable and as such, he and Scarecrow could end up as one of the underground's next victims. As such, Child had to be found and groomed. "Harley, answer my question or we both get to see just how well cleaning chemicals work in a new batch of fear toxin." Arkham staff wasn't stupid enough to leave around chemicals that he could use to recreate his fear toxins. However, the threat would have the added affect of showing Harley that he didn't care if 'frenemies' – a ridiculous term, but fitting in this case – got in the way because he would just rip them out of his path.
Riddler winced and quickly left to join Poison Ivy by the magazine rack. This was one conversation that he could do without hearing. This was also one of the many times where he wouldn't bail one of the Rogue Gallery members out of the war zone of another Rogue Gallery member. "Gotham's been waiting for a war between those two." Poison Ivy idly commented as she flipped a page. "Well, Gotham should be careful what she wishes for." Riddler muttered as he picked up a crossword puzzle. It was obvious that Jonathan would be out for blood this time. "Yes, Gotham should be, but that's humanity for you."
Riddler looked at her, idly throwing his arm over the back of her chair. "Dear Ivy, not all humans are idiots." Poison Ivy looked at him. "No, some are just naïve fools that can't take a hint." Smiling, Riddler retracted his arm and turned his eyes towards his puzzle. "What do you think of Jonathan and his doctor?" For once, Poison Ivy smirked and looked at him. "Jonathan and Dr. Wolfe? I say that it'll be interesting to have a new villain running around with us. Especially if Joker gets what he deserves." With that, Poison Ivy went back to her magazine.
